Protect Your Small Business from Ransomware
By Craig Gocken
You would never leave your office building unlocked when you went home for the night. Your assets are too valuable to leave them unprotected. But what about your informational assets? Are your documents and electronic files vulnerable to attack? The unfortunate truth is that there are criminals who seek to profit by exploiting any weaknesses in your IT system. One way they can do this is through ransomware.
What is Ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware that can is installed onto your computer without your permission. Often it comes from opening an email attachment, visiting a website, or clicking on a link. Once launched, it moves quickly to encrypt your files so that they become inaccessible. The criminals behind the ransomware scheme demand payment in order to restore your system. At the same time, they threaten to permanently encrypt them if you do not deliver the demanded ransom to them within a set time.
The Danger of Ransomware
The extent of the damage ransomware can cause is not trivial. For many businesses, access to electronic files are a necessity. Losing that access even for a short time can be devastating. Furthermore, there is often no way to fight back against ransomware. If the ransom is not paid, the criminals will destroy the key to unlock your system and files will be irretrievable. Often small businesses will comply with the hackers in order to gain back control of valuable data.
Back Up Your Data
When it comes to ransomware, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. The best way to keep ransomware from having a huge impact on your business is to back it up. If all copies of your business’s critical data are accessible through one network, then it is vulnerable to a ransomware take-over. The malware can enter through one user and then spread through the entire system. Even cloud-based back-ups can be infected with the malware. The best defense is to have a copy of files located off-line or even off-site. If all the files you need are easily accessible in a back-up copy, then ransomware becomes more of an inconvenience rather than a disaster.
Cultivate Healthy Skepticism
Your employees are your first line of defense against ransomware and other cyber-attacks. Remind employees of the dangers lurking in emails and online. By keeping them informed about possible attacks, you can help them cultivate a healthy skepticism. Emails from unknown senders or with strangely vague subject lines should be treated with suspicion. Employees should be encouraged to consult IT experts before opening questionable attachments or following a suspicious link. Your IT department is only one piece of your business’s security.
Today’s small business owners have a lot to think about. In addition to growing your business and keeping your customer happy, you also must maintain adequate security. At Federated Bank, we think a lot about your security too. We are committed to keeping your personal information secure. We are also pleased to serve the financial needs of small businesses across central Illinois. With customer-friendly service and easy-to-use features, our banking services are designed to make managing your business easier. If you’re not sure what services we offer to small businesses, visit our website or come in and speak with a branch manager.
